Caught between Barack and a hard place

It’s a new week, so it’s time for John McCain the Fighting Tiger to once again change his stripes. Last week his Straight-Talk Express was more like the Hate-Talk Express driven erratically by the GOP nominee who didn’t stop for the hits-and-runs along the way.

The angry mob rule that was the McPalin rallies of recent days must’ve put a smile on the face of Joe McCarthy for the first time since he’s been burning in hell. Consider the Florida law enforcement officer who — while in uniform — goose-stepped his way to the podium to introduce Sarah Palin. But first he slammed Obama with such venom in his tone and with such hatred in his eyes, he should’ve been wearing a swaztika instead of a badge. Then there was the little old lady at a McCain town hall meeting so full of fear about Obama it took all of her breath to say she believes he’s “an Arab.” This caught McCain completely off-guard and his initial reaction was genuine — he defended Obama. No, he’s not an Arab, McCain said, but “a decent man” and that people shouldn’t fear an Obama presidency. McCain was eloquent and compassionate. But that didn’t play well with the crowd. Some even booed McCain. Their minds had already been made up.

For that brief, shining moment, John McCain recaptured his character. He may have had an epiphany — certainly second-thoughts about what his campaign has wrought. He could make that moment of clarity the start of his comeback. In Wednesday’s debate, he could look Obama in the eye and disown what his campaign bamboozled him into doing. Ya, that will happen when Fox News admits it hates America for its diversity.

Fox News revels in the hate Obama tone of the McCain campaign because they orchestrated it. They may as well have been those brain-drained cowards in the crowds that yelled Obama isa “terrorist” or “kill him!” Fox fueld this firestorm and stoked it with gasoline. Fox promotes fear and casts blame on anyone or thing that doesn’t deserve to survive in its orbit. Fox demonizes freedom of speech then hides behind it when they promote their divide and conquer agenda. Sarah Palin is justified doingonly interviews with Fox: she’s a charismatic demagogue human talking point.The right-wing fanatics’ pin-up girl with a Phd in character assassination.

Fox News’ 11th commandment is “Thous shalt notbe tolerant.” From God’s lips to their ears — exceptmost things get lost in the translation. John McCain’s greatest sin of this campaign was preaching from the Gospel According to Rupert Murdoch. And it’s real Old Testament stuff — wrath and eye-for-an-eye. Except McCain’s not good at it because his heart’s not in it. Palin’s another story — pure Murdochian: no conscience, no guilt and no blood flowing through her veins because it would mess with the ice.

It’s not too late for McCain toexperience an epiphany. It’s not that far-fetched of an idea when you consider what he’s been springing on an unsuspecting electorate so far. This is 2008, not 1968 — we don’t need for all hell to break loose again. The Hate-Talk Express needs a better direction than the one it’s offering a free ride on down that road to perdition.